ffep

Aka:

FFEP or ffep

front free endpaper

A common abbreviation for Front Free EndPaper. Generally, it is the first page of a book and is part of a single sheet that also spans across the inside of the front board (called the front pastedown) via a fold along the gutter with the purpose of connecting the boards to the stitched textblock.

As a result of this purpose, the paper quality of the ffep is generally of a heavier weight than those used for the pages of the book, and is often decorative.

The front free endpaper (or ffep) is also a common place to encounter signatures or inscriptions. Also, the gutter between the ffep and front pastedown is a very common place to encounter damage to a book, notably a cracked binding.

The following shows a book open, exposing its pastedown and endpapers (these are called marbled endpapers). The pastedown is on the left, the gutter is in the center, and the front free endpaper is on the right:

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